A Study of the Moisture Absorption Characteristics of Vinyl Ester Polymer and Unidirectional Glass Fibre Vinyl Ester Laminates

Vinyl esters are increasingly being used as the matrix polymer in fibre-reinforced composites for demanding large applications which experience long-term exposure to moist and wet conditions. This paper presents the results of a study of ageing due to moisture absorption in vinyl ester polymer and glass fibre-vinyl ester laminates. The moisture uptake kinetics of the two neat VE polymers, cured at different conditions, and their glass-reinforced composites has been characterised by gravimetric methods. These studies have been carried out using submersion in water at 23 degrees C and 50 degrees C and exposure to high relative humidity moisture conditions at room temperature. A dynamic mechanical analysis characterisation of the glass transition temperatures of both the aged matrix and the composite is also presented.